Method and apparatus for preventing undesired termination of a process in an information handling system

Abstract

An information handling system (IHS) employs operating system software to manage IHS resources. The operating system software manages software application programs as processes executing within the IHS. The processes run in foreground and background mode within the IHS. Processes running in foreground mode are subject to hang-up events with negative process output results, such as output data loss. In one embodiment, the operating system software supports a “no hang-up now” command for use with processes running in foreground mode. The “no hang-up now” command provides system users the ability to hang-up or log-out of an IHS terminal without negative effects on the current foreground process. A user may invoke the “no hang-up now” command after execution of the foreground process is already underway. The no hang-up command moves the foreground application to the background for continued execution. A signal handler program prevents termination of the background process until the process completes.

1. A method of processing information in an information handling system (IHS), comprising:
 loading, by an operating system in the IHS, a first process in a foreground mode, the first process having a respective process identifier associated therewith; 
 executing, by the operating system, the first process over time in the foreground mode; 
 receiving, by the operating system, a no hang-up now user command directed to the first process that is executing in the foreground mode, the no hang-up user command instructing the operating system to both move the first process from the foreground mode to a background mode and to block subsequent hang-up requests directed to the first process; 
 moving, by the operating system, the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode in response to the no hang-up now user command; 
 intercepting in response to the no hang-up now user command, by the operating system, a hang-up request directed to the first process, thus providing an intercepted hang-up request; and 
 blocking, by the operating system, the intercepted hang-up request from terminating the first process until the first process completes. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the no hang-up now user command includes a process identifier. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising testing, by the operating system, to determine if the process identifier of the no hang-up now user command matches the process identifier of the first process, and in response to a match the operating system moves the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , wherein in response to the match the operating system suspends the first process in the foreground mode prior to moving the first process to the background mode. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising executing a signal handler program, by the operating system, to block hang-up requests when the first process is in the background mode. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the operating system continues execution of the first process in the background mode after moving the first process from the foreground mode to a background mode in response to the no hang-up now user command. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first process produces results that the operating system stores in an output file while the first process executes in the background mode. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising executing, by the operating system, a second process in the background mode along with the first process. 
     
     
       9. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a memory, coupled to the processor, that stores an operating system that executes processes, wherein the operating system loads a first process in a foreground mode, the first process having a respective process identifier associated therewith, the operating system executing the first process over time in the foreground mode, the operating system receiving a no hang-up now user command directed to the first process while the first process is executing in the foreground mode, the no hang-up user command instructing the operating system to both move the first process from the foreground mode to a background mode and to block subsequent hang-up requests directed to the first process, the operating system moving the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode in response to the no hang-up now user command, the operating system intercepting in response to the no hang-up now user command a hang-up request directed to the first process, thus providing an intercepted hang-up request, the operating system blocking the intercepted hang-up request from terminating the first process until the first process completes. 
 
     
     
       10. The IHS of  claim 9 , wherein the no hang-up now user command includes a process identifier and the operating system tests to determine if the process identifier of the no hang-up now user command matches the process identifier of the first process, and in response to a match the operating system moves the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode. 
     
     
       11. The IHS of  claim 10 , wherein in response to the match the operating system suspends the first process in the foreground mode prior to moving the first process to the background mode. 
     
     
       12. The IHS of  claim 10 , wherein the operating system includes a signal handler program that blocks hang-up requests when the first process is in the background mode. 
     
     
       13. The IHS of  claim 9 , wherein the operating system is configured to continue execution of the first process in the background mode after moving the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode. 
     
     
       14. The IHS of  claim 13 , wherein the operating system is configured to store results that the first process produces in an output file while the first process executes in the background mode. 
     
     
       15. The IHS of  claim 14 , wherein the operating system is configured to execute a second process in the background mode along with the first process. 
     
     
       16. A computer program product, comprising:
 a non-transitory computer readable storage device for use on an information handling system; 
 first instructions for loading, by an operating system, a first process in a foreground mode, the first process having a respective process identifier associated therewith; 
 second instructions for executing, by the operating system, the first process over time in the foreground mode; 
 third instructions for receiving, by the operating system, a no hang-up now user command directed to the first process while the first process is executing in the foreground mode, the no hang-up user command instructing the operating system to both move the first process from the foreground mode to a background mode and to block subsequent hang-up requests directed to the first process; 
 fourth instructions for moving, by the operating system, the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode in response to the no hang-up now user command; 
 fifth instructions for intercepting in response to the no hang-up now user command, by the operating system, a hang-up request directed to the first process, thus providing an intercepted hang-up request; and 
 sixth instructions for blocking, by the operating system, the intercepted hang-up request from terminating the first process until the first process completes; 
 wherein the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth instructions are stored on the non-transitory computer readable storage device. 
 
     
     
       17. The computer program product of  claim 16 , wherein the no hang-up now user command includes a process identifier, the computer program product further comprising:
 seventh instructions for testing, by the operating system, to determine if the process identifier of the no hang-up now user command matches the process identifier of the first process, and in response to a match the operating system moves the first process from the foreground mode to the background mode. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising eighth instructions for suspending, by the operating system in response to the match, the first process in the foreground mode prior to moving the first process to the background mode. 
     
     
       19. The computer program product of  claim 17 , further comprising ninth instructions for executing a signal handler program, by the operating system, to block hang-up requests when the first process is in the background mode. 
     
     
       20. The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein the first process produces results, the computer program product further comprising tenth instructions for storing the results in an output file while the first process is in the background mode.